Editing History of Ukraine (section)

==== Establishing the foundations of independence ====
{{Main|Declaration of Independence of Ukraine|Post-Soviet transition in Ukraine|Constitution of Ukraine|Hryvnia}}
{{See also|Leonid Kravchuk|Leonid Kuchma}}

[[File:Проголошення незалежності України.pdf|thumb|The front page of the parliamentary newspaper ''[[Holos Ukrayiny]]'' with the text of the declaration printed on the lower half (27 August 1991)]]
On 24 August 1991, the [[Verkhovna Rada]] (Ukrainian Parliament) [[Declaration of Independence of Ukraine|declared Ukraine’s independence]] from the [[Soviet Union]], a decisive step taken in the wake of the failed August Coup.<ref name=Magocsi>[https://books.google.com/books?id=BNUtdVrw6lIC&dq=16+July+1991+Ukrainian+state+sovereignty.&pg=PA722 A History of Ukraine: The Land and Its Peoples] by [[Paul Robert Magocsi]], [[University of Toronto Press]], 2010, {{ISBN|1442610212}} (page 722/723)</ref> This historic decision was reinforced by [[1991 Ukrainian independence referendum|a nationwide referendum]] on 1 December 1991, where 90.32% of voters supported independence, with majorities in every region (including 54.19% in [[Crimea]]).<ref name=NS>[[Dieter Nohlen]] & Philip Stöver (2010) ''Elections in Europe: A data handbook'', page 1976 {{ISBN|9783832956097}}</ref> That same day, [[Ukraine]] held its [[1991 Ukrainian presidential election|first presidential election]], a pivotal moment in its post-Soviet history. [[Leonid Kravchuk]], a former high-ranking Soviet official, won the election, becoming first [[President of Ukraine]]. During his tenure, Kravchuk worked to maintain stability, distance Ukraine from Moscow’s influence, and manage internal political challenges.<ref name=UKrW812991>[http://www.ukrweekly.com/old/archive/1991/499101.shtml Independence - over 90% vote yes in referendum; Kravchuk elected president of Ukraine] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171019083729/http://www.ukrweekly.com/old/archive/1991/499101.shtml |date=19 October 2017 }}, ''[[The Ukrainian Weekly]]'', 8 December 1991</ref>

The dissolution of the USSR was formalized in the [[Białowieża Forest]] in [[Belarus]], where the leaders of Ukraine, Belarus, and Russia—[[Leonid Kravchuk]], [[Stanislav Shushkevich]], and [[Boris Yeltsin]]—signed the [[Belovezha Accords]] on 8 December 1991. These accords declared the Soviet Union defunct and established the [[Commonwealth of Independent States]] (CIS) as a loose association of former Soviet republics. By 26 December 1991, the USSR officially ceased to exist, and Ukraine's independence gained de jure recognition from the international community.<ref name="c97">{{cite news |title=14 Years of Belavezha Accords' Signing |url=http://www.charter97.org/eng/news/2005/12/08/14 |archive-date=3 February 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070203021058/http://www.charter97.org/eng/news/2005/12/08/14 |publisher=Charter'97 |date=8 December 2005}}</ref>

After declaring independence, Ukraine began a complex [[Post-Soviet transition in Ukraine|post-Soviet transition]], shaping its identity as a new independent nation. From 1991 to 1996, Ukraine experienced significant political, economic, and social transformations aimed at establishing itself as a sovereign state on the global stage.<ref>[[Volodymyr Vasylenko]]. [https://web.archive.org/web/20190620220422/https://i.tyzhden.ua/content/photoalbum/2018/05_2018/30/bild/specproject.pdf Non-nuclear status of Ukraine: past, present, and future (Без'ядерний статус України: минуле, сучасне, майбутнє)]. ''[[The Ukrainian Week]]''. 31 May 2018</ref>

In the early years of independence, the [[Verkhovna Rada]] played a key role in establishing the country’s legal and political framework. As Ukraine’s legislative body, the Rada was responsible for drafting and passing laws to build the foundation of Ukraine’s political and economic structures. However, it faced ideological divides as members debated Ukraine’s path—whether to orient toward Western integration or maintain stronger ties with [[Russian Federation]]. These debates mirrored broader societal divides and significantly influenced legislative reform.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://gska2.rada.gov.ua:7777/site/postanova_eng/Rres_Declaration_Independence_rev12.htm|title=Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine Resolution On Declaration of Independence of Ukraine|access-date=11 October 2007|work=Official website of the Verkhovna Rada|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070930203430/http://gska2.rada.gov.ua:7777/site/postanova_eng/Rres_Declaration_Independence_rev12.htm|archive-date=30 September 2007}}</ref>

[[File:UkraineFlag.png|thumb|left|Modern [[flag of Ukraine]]]]
To solidify its national identity, Ukraine adopted state symbols that resonated with historical and cultural significance. The Parliament selected the [[Flag of Ukraine|blue-and-yellow flag]] and the [[coat of arms of Ukraine|tryzub]] (trident) as national emblems, which became powerful representations of Ukrainian sovereignty and unity.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Ukraine's national flag celebrating 25th anniversary today|url=https://www.unian.info/society/1747301-ukraines-national-flag-celebrating-25th-anniversary-today.html|access-date=4 March 2022|website=[[UNIAN]]|date=28 January 2017 |language=en}}</ref><ref name="Symbolsx2">{{cite news|last=Trach|first=Nataliya|url=https://www.kyivpost.com/article/content/ukraine-politics/the-story-behind-2-top-ukrainian-symbols-national-flag-and-trident-421675.html|title=The story behind 2 top Ukrainian symbols: National flag and trident|publisher=Kyiv Post|date=26 August 2016|access-date=27 August 2016}}</ref>

A significant historical moment of this period was the transfer of powers from the [[President of Ukraine (in exile)|President of the Ukrainian People's Republic in exile]], [[Mykola Plaviuk]], to the newly elected President of independent Ukraine, Leonid Kravchuk, during the solemn session of the Verkhovna Rada on 22 August 1992 in [[Kyiv]]. This transfer, while largely symbolic, marked a continuity of the Ukrainian struggle for independence, linking the efforts of past leaders to those of the new government. This act represented the culmination of over 70 years of Ukrainian national aspirations and signaled a deepening commitment to the state’s sovereignty and historical continuity.<ref name="Plaviuk163058UPR"/><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.uvkr.com.ua/ua/visnyk/uvkr-2002/august/gr-ukr.html|title=10 years since the Government center of the UNR in exile gave to the free and sovereign Ukraine the symbols of government authority. This establishes that Ukraine is the legal successor to the Ukrainian National Republic. This action was proclaimed by the former President of the UNR in exile Mykola Plaviuk|accessdate=18 December 2008|work=Visnyka UVKR|publisher=Ukrainian World Coordination Council|language=Ukrainian|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110727114824/http://www.uvkr.com.ua/ua/visnyk/uvkr-2002/august/gr-ukr.html|archivedate=27 July 2011}}</ref> In his declaration, Plaviuk proclaimed that the current Ukrainian state is the lawful successor to the Ukrainian People's Republic and a continuation of its authority and state traditions.<ref>{{cite news|first=Mykhailo|last=Rol|title=Tenth President|url=http://www.umoloda.kiev.ua/number/352/264/12716/|publisher=Ukrayina Moloda|accessdate=30 December 2008|language=Ukrainian}}</ref><ref name="Plaviuk163058UPR">{{Cite web|date=22 August 2023|title=Ukraine is the legal successor of the Ukrainian People's Republic|url=https://www.istpravda.com.ua/columns/2023/08/22/163058/|access-date=22 August 2023|website=[[Istorychna Pravda]] |language=Ukrainian}}</ref>{{efn|According to [[Ukrainian law]] current Ukraine is the [[successor state]] of the [[Ukrainian SSR]] that was part of the [[Soviet Union]].<ref name="Plaviuk163058UPR"/><ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=BNUtdVrw6lIC&dq=16+July+1991+Ukrainian+state+sovereignty.&pg=PA722 A History of Ukraine: The Land and Its Peoples] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230407100810/https://books.google.com/books?id=BNUtdVrw6lIC&dq=16+July+1991+Ukrainian+state+sovereignty.&pg=PA722 |date=7 April 2023 }} by [[Paul Robert Magocsi]], [[University of Toronto Press]], 2010, {{ISBN|1442610212}} (page 563/564 & 722/723)</ref>}}

The [[Budapest Memorandum]] on Security Assurances, signed on 5 December 1994, by Ukraine, [[Russia]], the [[United States]], and the [[United Kingdom]], was a critical agreement in post-Soviet geopolitics. It formalized the process by which Ukraine surrendered the world’s third-largest [[nuclear arsenal]], inherited after the Soviet Union's collapse, which included approximately 1,900 strategic [[nuclear warheads]]. Although these weapons were stationed on Ukrainian territory, they were operationally controlled by Moscow, and Ukraine’s possession of such an arsenal posed significant concerns for global non-proliferation efforts. In return for surrendering the weapons, the signatory powers provided assurances of Ukraine's sovereignty, territorial integrity, and independence. The memorandum guaranteed that no force or threats of force would be used against Ukraine, and no economic or political pressure would be employed to undermine its status. It also affirmed that the [[United Nations Security Council]] would intervene in case of aggression against Ukraine. However, the assurances were political commitments, not legally binding guarantees, which made their enforcement dependent on the goodwill of the signatories.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.cfr.org/nonproliferation-arms-control-and-disarmament/budapest-memorandums-security-assurances-1994/p32484 |title=Budapest Memorandums on Security Assurances, 1994 - Council on Foreign Relations |publisher=Cfr.org |date=5 December 1994 |access-date=7 March 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170312052208/http://www.cfr.org/nonproliferation-arms-control-and-disarmament/budapest-memorandums-security-assurances-1994/p32484 |archive-date=12 March 2017 |url-status=dead}}</ref><ref name=UKR>Paull, John (2023). [http://www.academia.edu/98199478/War_in_Ukraine_From_Treaty_to_Treachery War in Ukraine: Treaty to Treachery] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230310022214/https://www.academia.edu/98199478/War_in_Ukraine_From_Treaty_to_Treachery |date=10 March 2023 }},  
in Proceedings of Russia-Ukraine War: Consequences for the World, 3rd International Scientific and Practical Internet Conference, 2–3 March 2023. WayScience, Dnipro, Ukraine (pp. 18-20)</ref>

The transition to a [[market economy]] was compounded by inflation and political instability. The absence of immediate reforms led to widespread frustration, culminating in a snap [[1994 Ukrainian presidential election|presidential election in 1994]], where Leonid Kravchuk was succeeded by [[Leonid Kuchma]], an engineer and former Soviet official. Kuchma’s presidency aimed at modernizing Ukraine’s economy and fostering a balanced relationship with both Russia and [[Western Europe]], a delicate approach to preserving Ukraine’s independence amid complex geopolitical pressures.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Birch |first=Sarah |date=1995 |title=The Ukrainian parliamentary and presidential elections of 1994 |url=http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/0261-3794(95)95775-6 |journal=Electoral Studies |volume=14 |issue=1 |pages=93–99 |doi=10.1016/0261-3794(95)95775-6 |issn=0261-3794}}</ref>

[[File:Grivna 1.jpg|thumb|11th–12th century Kyiv hryvnia, as reproduced by the [[National Bank of Ukraine]]]]
Trying to stabilize the economy, back in 1992, Ukraine introduced a temporary currency, the [[Ukrainian karbovanets]]. This currency was intended to serve as a stopgap measure until a more permanent solution could be implemented. The karbovanets quickly devalued, contributing to growing economic instability.<ref>НБР: [http://www.bank.gov.ua/control/en/publish/article?art_id=37482&cat_id=37437 History of Hryvnia]</ref> In 1996, Ukraine introduced the [[Hryvnia]] as the national currency, marking a significant milestone in the country’s economic transition and further solidifying its independence.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bank.gov.ua/control/en/publish/printable_article;jsessionid=15111854B1ABFB8B3B2073ED5CB1BD7F?art_id=37482&showTitle=true|title=National Bank of Ukraine|website=Bank.gov.ua|access-date=11 February 2017|archive-date=2 April 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190402175059/https://www.bank.gov.ua/control/en/publish/printable_article;jsessionid=15111854B1ABFB8B3B2073ED5CB1BD7F?art_id=37482&showTitle=true|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name=Matvienko>{{cite web|url=http://www.obriy.pib.com.ua/2002/04_02/01.htm |title=Volodymyr Matvienko. Autograph on Hryvnia |language=uk |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081231072715/http://www.obriy.pib.com.ua/2002/04_02/01.htm |archive-date=31 December 2008 }}</ref> It is named after [[Grivna|a measure of weight]] used in [[Kievan Rus']].<ref name="Langer">{{cite book |last1=Langer |first1=Lawrence N. |title=Historical Dictionary of Medieval Russia |date=2002 |publisher=Scarecrow Press |isbn=9780810866188 |pages=56–57 |chapter=Grivna |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=DlWPEH3dF38C&pg=PA56 |access-date=2 March 2022 |archive-date=17 January 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200117181510/https://books.google.com/books?id=DlWPEH3dF38C&pg=PA56 |url-status=live }}</ref>

Despite disputes in the Verkhovna Rada, which at the time struggled to reach consensus on reform initiatives and reconcile the interests of pro-Western and pro-Russian factions, Ukraine took a decisive step in defining its legal structure by adopting the [[Constitution of Ukraine]] on 28 June 1996. This document established Ukraine as a [[Democracy|democratic]], law-based state with a presidential-parliamentary system, clearly delineating the separation of powers among the executive, legislative, and judicial branches. Drafted with input from various political factions and scholars, the Constitution enshrined Ukraine’s commitment to legal governance and [[human rights]], becoming a cornerstone for Ukraine’s development as an independent nation.<ref name="UNIANCD28616">[http://www.unian.info/society/1389415-ukraine-celebrating-20th-anniversary-of-constitution.html Ukraine celebrating 20th anniversary of Constitution], [[UNIAN]] (28 June 2016)</ref>

At the end of its transition, Ukraine created the main components of its independence. With its own currency, Constitution, national symbols, and a growing sense of [[national identity]], Ukraine began to chart its course as a [[sovereign state]]. Despite the fact that the post-Soviet transition period caused numerous economic and political challenges, this formative period played an important role in shaping the direction and identity of [[Ukraine|modern Ukraine]].

<gallery>
File:Buleten 1991-12.jpg|[[Declaration of Independence of Ukraine]]. As printed on the ballot for the national referendum on December 1, 1991.
File:Leonid Kravchuk.jpg|[[Leonid Kravchuk]], the first President of Ukraine, in 1992
File:Kuchmaukraine.jpg|[[Leonid Kuchma]], the second President of Ukraine, in 2001
File:Constitution_of_Ukraine.jpg|[[Constitution of Ukraine]]
</gallery>